Published April 2, 2026 Written by [email protected]

Early years activity: Number rhyme time

Developing confident mathematicians with a positive attitude and interest in maths starts in a child’s earliest years.

Before children can understand and count purposefully, they need to develop a sense of number (what numbers are, what they mean, what different numbers look like as a physical concept and what they can do with them) and singing number rhymes will support children to do this. Check out our number rhyme time learning activity.

Number rhyme time learning aims

Develop number sense
Expand vocabulary
Support listening and attention.

Resources you will need for this activity

A selection of favourite number rhymes
Props to match the rhymes
Quiet space.

Number rhyme time activity outline

Use your knowledge of children’s rhyme selections to identify their favourite number rhymes
Prepare props to go along the rhymes you will be singing, for example, create 5 currant buns and some pennies. Invite children to hand over a penny as they buy a bun, physically removing one bun at a time as you count down
Many number rhymes count backwards, for example, ‘5 Little Ducks’, so ensure you include number rhymes that count forwards, such as, ‘1,2,3,4,5 Once I Caught a Fish Alive’, or 1, 2 Buckle my Shoe’
Send parents the words to the number rhymes you use so they can sing them at home with their child
Keep the rhymes playful and fun – change the song words to match children’s interests or personal experiences, e.g. 5 Little Ducks becomes ‘5 Large Dinosaurs’ or ‘5 Currant Buns in a Baker’s Shop’ becomes ‘5 Juicy Melons from the Market Stall’
Encourage children to choose their favourite rhymes to sing and to change the words to create their own version of the rhymes.

How to extend this activity

Create number rhyme baskets, with props for children to access.

NDNA products to support you with this activity

Maths Champions programme – training
Making Maths Matter – Online course

Back to myNDNA

Disclaimer: Activities with children must always be risk assessed, including for allergies or choking. Children must always have adequate supervision. Resources and materials must always be appropriate for children’s age and stage of development.

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